Anode



Dec. 14, 1937. J YOUNG ET AL 2,102,249

ANODE Filed June 10, 1935 Patented Dec. 14, 1937 UNITED STATES ANODE John L. Young, Pittsburgh, and Allen 0. Jephson, Johnstown, Pa.

Application June 10, 1935, Serial No. 25,728

4 Claims.

This invention relates to electro-deposition, and consists in an anode of peculiar structure and in the method of its formation. The invention finds practical application in an anode essentially of iron, used in the production of sheet iron upon a stripping cathode. The anode is characterized in being of open, cellular structurawvith cell walls of continuity and integrity andhigh electrical conductivity.

In the accompanying drawing Fig. I is a view in perspective of a piece of scrap material, such as has been found serviceable in the production of the anode of the invention; Fig. II is a diagrammatic view in perspective of an anode of 15 the invention, formed of such material as is shown in Fig. I; Fig. III is a fragmentary view,

showing diagrammatically an anode of the invention produced in somewhat diflerent manner;

and Fig. IV is a diagrammatic illustration of a 20 characteristic feature of the invention.

In Fig. I a sheet 3 of tin-plate scrap is showna thin sheet of steel carrying a very much thinner surface coating of tin. Such material may be employed in the practice of the invention. The

25 material is crumpled, bundled, and pressed to such form and condition as is indicated at l in Fig. II. In so dealing with the material, manifold and irregularly lying leaves are brought to multiple small areas of contact. Then the tem- 30 perature may be raised to a point approximating the fusion point of tin, until a union occurs and a sweating of the leaves together, leaf to leaf.

Conveniently, the body may be maintained under pressure during the heating, and the greater the pressure, the lower the requisite temperature.

The body on cooling will then be characterized by an open cellular structure; it will be penetrated by multitudinous labyrinthine ways, acces- 40 sible to the electrolyte; and the cell walls throughout will be integrated. Bridges of metallic tin will be formed at the points of contact, and these bridges will present direct lines for current flow; so that the whole anode so formed is highly conductive and the flow of current in fullest measure is made possible, to all the widely extended surface.

Such an anode so characterized may manifestly be brought into the electrolyzing circuit as readily 60 as an ordinary solid anode of conducting material.

Sheet tin scrap is manifestly desirable material to employ in the practice of the invention, because of economy; but the same informing prin- 55 ciple is applicable, and the invention obviously may be enjoyed in the use of tinned sheet steel that is not scrap, and that is in the form of continuous and unmutilated sheet. Such material may be crumpled, bundled, pressed, and under heat and pressure brought to the form of an 5 anode having the characteristics described.

- The same informing principle, of giving integrity and enhanced electric conductivity to an open and cellular mass otherwise lacking integrity, may be applied in the case of material other 10 than sheet material. In Fig. III a mass of punchings is illustrated, shaped to desired form 5. These small punchings may be understood to have been tinned after punching, and for this particular purpose. The tin coating upon them is preierably very light, and may have been applied in any preferred manner-by electrolysis, for instance. When the mass has been assembled and shaped (as within a former) the integration, the sweating together of the component pieces, may be effected by heat, and preferably under pressure; and on cooling the resulting anode body will have the same essential characteristics as the anode body formed of tinned sheet material, already described. Again, it is quite permissible to prepare the untinned mass in such assembly as shown in Fig. 111, and then to dip the whole in molten tin and, on removal from the bath, to allow the surplus molten metal to drain away. The particles of iron will thus be sweated together and on cooling there will remain an anode body of open and cellular structure whose cell walls throughout are integral and highly conductive. V

The condition that obtains in the use of the anode of the invention is indicated diagrammatically in Fig. IV. Two particles 6 and'l of iron or steel, severally tin-coated, and present within the body of an anode, may be understood ,to have been sweated together and integrated at 8, in such manner as has been described. The light coatings of tin upon them are no-serious obstruction to electrolytic action; the electrolyte finds access to the underlying iron through microscopic holes and fissures in the coating; it eats the iron away, and the tin coating loosens and flakes off. This occurs everywhere, save only at such points of contact and integration as 8. There the tin continues, and continues to form a bond, holding the particles together and affording a path of current flow.

Tin may here be regarded as a typical integrating metal. All that has been said applies to casesin which the body metal, whether in the form of sheet, punching, or other form, be coated with another low-melting-point metal. For example, in place of the tin-plate scrap used as first described above, terne-plate scrap may be used in the practice of the invention.

And manifestly a mass of discrete bodies some of which are coated and others uncoated, or a mass of bodies some of which are coated with one some with another coating metal, may in like manner be integrated, to produce the anode of the invention.

In every case described the resulting anode body is a rigid block of material, having continuity and integrity, presenting in the aggregate a. great extent of surface, highly conductive throughout; offering relatively little resistance to the flow of current to all its extent of surface, and penetrated throughout by labyrinthine ways, to which the electrolyte has access.

We have found that such an anode, used for the deposit of sheet iron upon a stripping cathode, functions most efiectively, and afiords results of high quality. The sheets produced are of unimpaired ductility; they are smooth; and appear to be identical with sheets produced with the instrumentality of anodes of low-carbon iron.

In the operation of the electrolytic cell the byproducts of electrolysis (including the coating metal) slough away and do not seriously clog nor impede the continuing electrolytic action. From the slime that collects in the bottom of the cell the coatingmetal may be recovered. It continues in the slime, either in metallic state or in the form of oxidized metal.

We claim as our invention:

1. An anode of specific particular shape am size and of labyrinthine structure formed wholl; of metal in metallic state consisting of a mass 0 tin-plated iron crushed to the shape desired wit] a multiplicity of discontinuous contacts, the mas being autogenously welded at such contacts.

2. The method herein described of forming an anode of labyrinthine character and of materia wholly metallic in state which consists in crush ing tin-plated sheet iron to a crumpled mass 0 the shape and size desired and integrating th' whole by autogenouswelds forming within th' mass a multiplicity of discontinuous bridges.

3. An anode of specific particular shape am size and of labyrinthine structure formed wholl: of metal in metallic state consisting of a mas: of iron plated with a low-melting-point coating containing tin and crushed to the shape desire with a multiplicity of discontinuous contacts, th: mass being autogenously welded at such contacts 4. The method herein described of forming at anode 'of labyrinthine character and of materia wholly metallic in state which consists in crushing sheet iron coated with a low-melting-poini tin-containing coat to a crumpled mass of th( shape and size desired and integrating the whole by autogenous welds forming within the mass 2 multiplicity of discontinuous bridges.

JOHN L. YOUNG. ALLEN C. JEPHSON. 

